On the last day of the 2012 session, the Florida Senate rejected the Parent Empowerment Act, better known as the Parent Trigger Act.
The measure, SB 1718, which was introduced by Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto, R-Fort Myers, failed on a 20-20 vote on Friday as eight senators -- Charlie Dean, Nancy Detert, Paula Dockery, Mike Fasano, Alan Hays (who was one of the original supporters of the bill), Dennis Jones, Evelyn Lynn and Steve Oelrich -- joined a united Democratic caucus in opposition to the bill.
The bill would have allowed parents to seek wide-ranging changes at low-performing schools, including changing a traditional neighborhood school into a charter school. It had gained the support of many prominent conservatives across the nation, including former Gov. Jeb Bush and prominent education reformer Michelle Rhee.
During the debate, Benacquisto told colleagues she sponsored the bill because she wouldnt rest until every failing school is not a failing school.
The bill was designed to help parents have an alternative to sending their children to F graded schools.
In voting against the bill, Detert, a Republican from Venice, said the state needs to give school-reform efforts from last year time to take hold before undertaking new plans.
Why do we want to keep throwing everybody in the bag and shaking it up? Detert demanded on the floor.
The Republican leadership in the Senate looked to push the measure and Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, the chairman of the Rules Committee, attempted unsuccessfully to fast-track the bill to Senate floor earlier in the session. The leadership attempted to bring the bill to the floor earlier in the week but regrouped to bring it out on Friday.
The House passed its version of the bill, sponsored by Rep. Michael Bileca, R-West Miami, on March 1 on a near party-line vote, with 80 representatives backing it and 34 opposing it.
Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich of Weston weighed in after the votes were counted.
This bill was nothing more than an attempt to dismantle and defund our public schools through privatization, ultimately destroying public education as we know it, Rich insisted. If the supporters were truly committed to empowering parents, theyd commit the necessary money to improve our public schools, recruit the very best teachers, and reward all those who have been working day after day to educate our children despite overwhelming odds.
Patricia Levesque from theFoundation for Florida's Future, an education reform group affiliated with Bush, expressed her disappointment with the vote on Friday afternoon in a statement.
It is a sad day for Floridas parents and students when 20 Senate members vote against giving parents the tools they need to improve their child's persistently failing school," Levesque said. "The Parent Empowerment Act was one vote short of equipping more parents to have a seat at the table with school leaders and guaranteeing Florida students right to learn from effective educators. I thank our state lawmakers who voted to acknowledge the legitimacy of a parents voice in their childs education. I particularly thank Senator Benacquisto and Representative Bileca for their leadership and commitment to bringing every Sunshine State student, regardless of their zip-code, a world-class education. This legislation has sparked debate and discussion that will fuel future student-centered reform.
While conservatives lost on Friday, this issue could return next year. Some of the Republican opponents are facing term limits: Dockery, Fasano, Jones and Lynn. Oelrich is running for Congress.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com. Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com. They both can be reached at (850) 727-0859
